The Stag, the Unicorn, and the Centaur
by MissingMommy
Summary: It's the first holiday that the Potter's have together: Halloween. :: James/Lily, for Bex.


For QL, round 8. I'm the Harpies' Captain this season. I was given the headcanon: [Baby Harry dressed as a stag by his mother on his first Halloween, while James wants him to be dressed as a lion to depict his Gryffindor roots while secretly being pleased with Lily's choice.] So many thanks to Amber for beta-ing.

For Bex.

* * *

"We're going to be late!" Lily calls. Harry squirms in her arms as she stands at the bottom of the staircase. She shifts from foot to foot, slightly uncomfortable in her own white jumpsuit and matching unicorn horn. "James! What is taking you so long?"

Footsteps signal her that her husband is finally coming downstairs. When James appears, it's all she can do from laughing out loud. The lower half of his body is covered by the bottom half of a horse. He's shirtless with a bow in his hands and a quiver on his back. His hair is messier than usual. He doesn't even notice Lily standing there; he's muttering to himself.

"A centaur?" she asks, barely keeping herself from laughing. Harry pulls on her hair.

He immediately stares at her. His eyes light up as he looks at her and their son. He goes to step forward and misses the last step on the stair, falling forward. There's a muffled curse.

Lily raises her eyebrow. "James?" she prompts.

To her utter surprise, Sirius pops out of the other end of the horse part of the centaur. He grins at her, as if he hadn't been hiding in the ass of the centaur costume. There is sweat on his brow and his cheeks are flushed but he still grins dazzlingly. "'Ello, Lils."

"Surprise," James says, spreading his arms. He shuffles towards Lily. It forces Sirius to stumble close. He turns to the other man. "Mate, we've got to get this walking down or we'll be stumbling all night. Which is bad. Only drunk centaurs stumble."

Harry is plucked from her grip. James is holding him close. "I thought he was going to be a lion!"

Lily tutts. "I told you, we're not forcing a House on him before the Sorting Hat decides for him. Besides, doesn't he make a cute deer?"

Harry is wearing a dark brown jumpsuit that has a white underbelly. The hat he's wearing is the same dark brown with ears and little antlers. Lily had spent hours making the costume the Muggle way.

"He looks just like you do when you transform," Sirius exclaims, leaning past James' shoulder.

"That was the idea," Lily says, proud that her efforts to mimic her husband's Animagus form was a success.

James grins happily. He leans over and kisses her cheek in approval. "It may not be a lion, but it's great, love."

"Now, come on! We're already late," Lily says, smiling at the two of them. "I'm assuming the two of you can manage to Apparate with that costume."

She grabs Harry back from James as she pulls her wand from her ponytail. She grins as she Apparates; her last view of her husband and his best friend is terror filled faces as they try to figure out how to Apparate.

When her feet touches down, she's in the Order's Headquarters. A majority of the members have taken the night off to celebrate Halloween; only Benjy and Mad-Eye are on watch tonight, and Dumbledore is still at Hogwarts.

The party appears to be in full swing by the time she arrives. Headquarters is a large house owned by the McKinnons. They have a designated Apparation point in the corner of the living room, next to the fireplace. It's roaring with heat as Lily steps out of the spot.

All of the furniture has been moves against the room, allowing more space in the room as well as seating if anyone wants it.

Lily scans the crowd, looking for Alice because she wants to see what the other woman dressed her boy up as. She can recognize most of the people despite their costumes. Marlene is in a conversation with Remus and Caradoc. Dorcas and Emmeline are with the Prewett twins. She hears Neville's cry before she spots Alice.

Lily laughs loudly as she takes in Alice's costume. She is dressed like Dumbledore, with the pointy hat, spectacles, and beard. In her arms is Neville who is dressed as a pumpkin. He looks adorable, but his angry red cheeks clash with the orange of the outfit.

"Dumbledore? Really?" Lily asks as she approaches the other woman. Harry's antlers hit her chin as she holds him against her chest, one hand across his stomach and the other under his butt.

She is wearing a mischievous grin when she sees the redhead, her eyes twinkling with humor. She's bouncing Neville to calm his cries. "I figured that since he can't be here, that at least he can be here in spirit. You know, to keep everyone from doing bad things."

Lily laughs. The sound causes Harry to flail in her arms. "You've been spending too much time with Sirius on missions."

Alice winks. "I see you made him a deer. How long did it take you to make it?"

"Hours," Lily exclaims dramatically. "I thought it was going to be easy. My mother used to make our costumes herself when I was growing up. She made it look simple. It wasn't! I almost decided to charm it done!"

The other woman laughs. Then Neville grabs a fist full of the white beard Alice has. "No, no, pumpkin! You can't tug on Mummy's beard," she says as she tries to detangle his hand.

"Where's Frank?" Lily asks, suddenly reminded of the other woman's husband.

Alice waves her hand around quickly before shifting her hold on Neville. She is grinning broadly as she answers. "He said he wasn't going to be seen with me dressed like this."

Lily snorts as she moves Harry. She twists him around so that he can rest his head on her shoulder. His little antlers just manage to go on either side of her neck. She had not foreseen this issue when making the costume. "Did Edgar bring his kids?"

"He did," she confirms. "But the youngest cried when she saw Peter."

"Why?"

"He's dressed as a mouse. The poor girl is terrified of them," Alice explains.

There's a crack and Lily turns to find James and Sirius standing in the corner of the room, the designated Apparation corner, their costume is tangled around the two of them. Their voices carry as they try to untangle themselves.

"What are they?" Alice asks.

"They're supposed to be a centaur," she answers. She rubs Harry back to keep him from squirming too much.

"Who's staring at whose arse?"

Lily laughs. "That would be Sirius staring at James'. But I should probably go help them. Merlin knows neither of them will get their costume sorted without help."

Alice is laughing as Lily heads towards her husband with their son in her arms. Lily wouldn't trade this for anything in the world.


End file.
